Garment-supporter



(No Model.)

A. PROUDFIT. GARMENT SUPPORTER.

Patented Meyv 19, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEQ AUSTIN PROUDFIT, OF MADISON, VISGONSIN.

GARMENT-SUPPORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 318,204, dated May 19, 1885.

Application filed May l, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, AUSTIN PROUDFIT, of Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HoseASupports; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to clasps for removably attaching ladies hose-Suspenders to the corset; and it has for its principal object to provide a clasp adapted to be readily andremovably attached to any part of the lower margin of the corset, as may be required, so that the suspender` may be con veniently shifted or detached at pleasure.

The invention has other objects that will hereinafter appear; and said invention consists in the several matters hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a hose-suspender containing all my improvements, and attached to a corset, of which only a fragment of the lower margin is shown. Fig. 2 is a front view of the suspenderclasp shown in Fig. l with a fragment of the strap. Fig. 3 is a side view of the matters shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front view of the clasp as constructed in Figs. l, 2, and 3, except that the lever by which the jaws or folds of the clasp are opened is detached and shown in a separate ligure, 4, Fig. 5 shows a blank struck from sheet metal, from which the form of clasp shown in Figs. l, 2, 3, and

4 may be made. Fig. 6 is a form of the clasp wanting the lever referred to, and modified as to the particular location of t-he engagingpoints. Fig. 7 is a central vertical section of the clasp, generally like that shown in Figs. l to 4, but having the arrangement of teeth represented in Fig. 6.-

A is a corset, of which only portion of the lower margin is shown.

B is a strip or strap of cloth fabric, usually elastic, provided with fastenings b at its lower end or ends for connection with the stockings. C is a clasp, adapted to be detachably secured to the lower margin of the corset at any desired point thereof.

C is a metal eye or loop, pivoted at c to the body of Ythe clasp, and affording a connection of said clasp with the strap B, said pivot c being at right angles with the plane of the clasp and loop, so that the latter swings in the plane of the clasp-body.

In use the clasp C is applied to any part of the lower margin of the corset, and by reason of the pivot at c, arranged as described, the strap B, when attached to the stocking, always lies iatwise against the person in all positions and movements of the body and limbs. As a result of such adjustment of the strap to the person or limb, the strap is rendered much more'comfortable to the wearer, and the strain thereon is equalized upon all of its longitudinal threads, so that it is more durable, and the elasticity of all its parts is fully utilized.

Referring to Figs. 2,3, and 7, the clasp shown consists of two folds, c' and c2, of sheet metal, joined at their lower ends and separated, or adapted to be separated, at their upper ends sufficiently to freely admit the edge of the corsetA between the surfaces which are to engage the latter. provided with a series of inwardly and downward] y projecting points, c, which are adapted to enter the fabric of the corset, and to thereby positively engage the latter with sufficient force to sustain the downward strain upon the strap B when connected with the stocking. The opposing fold or leaf of the clasp, by bearing upon the opposite side of the corset, serves to draw and retain the points c in such en gagement with the corset and to hold the clasp in place. The points c3 are preferably located at a little distance below the extreme ends of the folds or jaws of the clasp, so as to afford a permanently open space at cw, (best seen in Figs. 3 and 7,) to facilitate the entrance of the corset-margin between them. Preferably, the leaves of the clasp are elastic or of spring metal, and are contrived to normally bear the points cs of one fold or jaw of the clasp again or into proximity with the opposite fold, in which case the clasp, though readily pushed upward over the edge of thc corset, certainly and promptly causes the said points to enter the latter,when the jaws are allowed to close and the clasp or suspender is drawn downward.

In Figs, 1, 2, 3, and 4 the points c are formed on the upper margin of a transverse slot, 0*, and

One of said folds of the clasp is IOO as best shown in Fig. 3.

.2, and 3 the clasp is provided with a lever by which the said jaws may be spread to admit or release the corset. The particular construction of the lever adopted for illustration in said Figs. l, 2, and 3 and its relation to the clasp are made plain by the aid of Figs. 4 and 4, in which said parts are shown detached. In the said construction the jaws of the clasp are brought close together at ci for a lower part of their length, and the outer jaw is offset at c. At said offset, and reaching above it, is formed a passage, c7, through which protrudes downwardly the long arm of a lever, C2, the short arm of which lies fiat and upwardly directed between the clasp-jaws. Lifting the protruding ends of the lever, there fore, operates to force the jaws apart. As a cheap and desirable form of the lever the latter is preferably made of a piece of wire bent to present a long depending loop outside the clasp, and having its ends bent first laterally to forni a hinge with the parts which embrace them, and then upwardly to form the duplex short arm, all as clearly shown in the detached view of Fig. .t Providing this wire lever with two slight depressions at ci, the ends of the wire may be compressed for its insertion through the passage el, and it will be retained byits expansion afterinsertion. The short ends cQ may be of such length that the lever may bc lifted to a position at right angles with the face of the clasp, and the end faces of said wire being flat, the lever will in that case be held in such position by the spring action of the jaws, so that the latter will be held apart until the lever is forced downward. This permits the claspl to be conveniently moved to any desired place on the margin of the corset, and there secured by simply depressing the lever.

It is of course obvious that other forms of lever may be employed with the same effect.

rlhat described is, however, approved from its extreme cheapness and simplicity, and from the ease with which it may be securedin place solely by the conformation of the clasp-jaws therewith.

Fig. 5 shows a blank, D, adapted to form the clasp above described. In said blank the tongue d, for the pivotal attachment of the Ipop C', is formed by a press, which detaches the part d', and thus forms the slot or passage cT for the accommodation of the lever G2. The points c" may of course be formed within the slot 0*, as shown, or on the extreme end margin of the blank,to give the construct-ion as to said points shown in Figs. 6 and 7. rIhe j blank D is bent in the line di, leaving the tongue d in the same plane with the part or jaw ci.

So far as relates to the pivotal connection of theloop C with the clasp-body C, it is of course immaterial what form of clasp is employed, any of several well-known forms of clasp being suitable for the general purpose, though less desirable in lmany respects than the forni here shown. y

I am aware that inwardly-projecting points or serrations have heretofore been provided 011 the jaws of similar clasps, and I therefore make no broad claim to them, but the inward and downward arrangement of such points herein shown is new, as is also the location of the points at a distance from the ends of the jaws, whereby a permanently open space is afforded at c1 for the purpose stated. I am also aware that levers otherwise constructed have been heretofore employed in clasps.

I claim as my invention- I. Thccombination, with a hose-suspender, of a clasp having two opposingjaws movable laterally toward and from each other, one of said jaws being provided with obliquely-arranged points projecting inwardly and toward the point of attachment of the clasp, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the two opposing spring-jaws, one of which is provided with inwardly-projecting points located at some distance from the ends of the jaws, whereby the ends of thejaws are held apart, and a permanently open space thereby afforded between the extreme ends of said jaws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the opposing spring-jaws of a clasp provided with inwardly-projecting points, of a lever having one of its arms between and the other exterior to said jaws, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

4. In aspring metal clasp, the combination, with an opposingjaw, of a jaw having an offset, and provided with an aperture at said offset, and a lever havingits long arm depending through said aperture and its short arm between the jaws, substantially as described.

5. Ina spring metal clasp, the combination, with an opposing jaw, of a jaw provided with an apertured offset, and abcnt wire lever, C, having notches c5, said lever being inserted through said aperture and engaged with the jaws, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

G. Ina sheet-metal spring-clasp, the combination, with an opposing jaw, c2, of a jaw, c', having inwardly and downwardly projecting points c formed on the upper margin of a transverse slot, c", substantially as described.

7. The sheet-metal blank D, for forming the spring-clasp described, said blank being provided with a series of serrations, and having the tongue d terminating at its base at the line in which the blank is bent to form the clasp, substantially as described.

S. The combination,with a hose-suspender, of a clasp, C, constructed `to engage the margin of the corset, and having a flat part or IOO body portion7 as c?, located in aplane parallel In testimony that I claim the foregoing as with the jaws of the clasp, and a flat strapmy invention I afxmysgnature in presence ao loop, C', located approximately in the same of two witnesses. plane with the body of the clasp, and connect- 5 ed with the latter by means of a pivot7 as c," AUSTIN PROUDFIT passing through the said loop and the elaspi Vitnesses:

body, substantially as and for the purpose set M. E. DAYTON, i' forth. `OLIVER E. PAGIN. 

